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During the boom, West Palm donated the land to the county, with the agreement that the county would fund the hotel. Few people complained at the time, as money was pouring in from property taxes.

“It would have been cheaper if it would have been done a few years ago, 10 years ago,” West Palm Mayor Jeri Muoio said on Tuesday. “We originally had a deal way back when to do something for a lot less money. But it’s finally worked out and we’ll do everything we can to support the county and move forward with the permitting and everything that has to be done as quickly as possible.”

Throughout the campaign, Muoio repeatedly said that the city needed the convention center hotel in order for the city to really. thrive.

“I’m so excited it finally got done,” Muoio said. “I think it’s going to mean a lot to our city — jobs, bringing much larger conventions. I congratulate the county commission for taking this on.”

County commissioner Priscilla Taylor, who represents downtown West Palm Beach, voted against the hotel.

“I do feel that perhaps at some point it might be a good thing, but it’s timing, to me, when we have to sit down and balance our budget,” Taylor told the Post’s Adam Playford. “Right now we’re looking like we’re going to have to perhaps lay people off or perhaps not rehire for departments.”

Muoio said she understands where Taylor was coming from, but believes it will pay off for the country in the end.

“It’s a tough decision and the money certainly could have been used in their general fund,” Muoio said. ” But I think the return on the dollar is going to be so great that they should get their money back in a few years.

The economic impact on the whole county is going be so positive.”

Muoio hopes the convention center hotel is only the beginning of a slew of new hotels opening downtown. The city commission recently approved a measure that gave an exemption to the five story height limit in several Clematis Street locations for new hotels to be built. But Muoio said there’s nothing currently in the works.

“We’ve got a bunch of people who are interested, but it’s just so tough to get financing these days,” she said.